Crash
by MegaNerdAlert
Summary: On route to a Transfiguration Conference, in a red sports car, Minerva and Hermione get into a horrible accident. One thing leads to another and suddenly Hermione finds herself admitting something to Minerva she swore she never, ever would. MM/HG
1. Chapter 1

**Well, this WAS going to be a oneshot...but I hit the 2000 word mark and decided that I was probably going to need at least another 2k, so this may turn into a two or three shot. Going to go work on an update for Antebellum now...**

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Hermione Granger had no idea what the hell she'd been thinking. When the Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall herself, had asked her to come along on a trip to France for a Transfiguration convention, Hermione had not expected that they'd travel the muggle way. If she had, she would most certainly have declined the invitation. Meeting at Hogwarts and taking a Port Key to their destination would have been more than enough close contact with Minerva to suit Hermione's approval. What had started as a school girl crush in her third year at Hogwarts had turned into full blown out love by the end of her education. Her marriage to Ron had not made it go away. Four years of only chance encounters has not changed the need. Her love for her children, Rose and Hugo, had not pushed Minerva out of her heart.

The children were three and two now, and in the last year, Minerva had called upon her now and then to come to Hogwarts and substitute teach when another Professor was ill or unavailable. Teaching full time required a mastery in the subject, but anyone who'd gotten an "O" in the given subject could fill in. Hermione did have her mastery in Transfiguration, but would not even consider teaching full time until Minerva retired. No, there was no way in high heaven she would be able to work with her former Professor day in and day out and not have the ever present feelings become a real…problem.

Of all the bloody things, Minerva had a secret passion for convertibles._ A sports car!_ Hermione scoffed internally. Of all the insane peculiarities for Minerva to have…yet here she was, in a candy apple red, roofless car, speeding down the road with Minerva at the wheel.

"Are you alright?"

Hermione's thoughts were interrupted by Minerva's inquiry. "Sorry?"

"I asked if you were alright," Minerva repeated, glancing over at her passenger. "It's getting quite late, perhaps we should find a hotel for the night. The conference doesn't start till tomorrow afternoon, and we're only a few hours away from our destination."

Hermione shook her head. No! There was absolutely no way she was going to share a bedroom, possibly a bed, with Minerva. The bloody car was pushing it. Oh, what the hell had she been thinking? "If you're alright, I say we keep going. No sense in wasting the money."

Minerva nodded. "Very well." The older woman pressed a button on the console and the roof unfolded. Another button rolled up the windows. "The wind is getting a bit much. I imagine my hair looks a fright by now."

Hermione smiled. "It's fine, Minerva."

Another hour passed in silence, the radio playing softly in the background. Then, suddenly, there was a blinding light in front of them. A large truck had just come over the hill ahead, rushing toward them at a reckless speed.

"Bloody hell," Minerva muttered. "I can't see a thing."

It wasn't until the truck was nearly in front of them that Hermione realized that the driver was not only speeding, but in the wrong lane. "Minerva, look out!" she screamed.

But it was too late. The truck slammed into them with enough force to deploy both airbags. The safety devices prevented the two women from slamming into the dashboard, but to their dismay, the truck had still not stopped. The car was being pushed backwards, more and more until Hermione suddenly realized that the road they were on ran along a steep drop-off.

It seemed that Minerva realized this at the same time as Hermione, as she suddenly gasped. "Hold on, Hermione!"

The car slipped off the road and started sliding down the ridge. There was a jolt, and for a moment Hermione thought they'd reached the bottom, at least until the car started tipping sideways, and a moment later, it had flipped over. The soft top of the car was ripped off as the car flipped right side up again. They began to slide again, and Hermione yelped in pain as her right leg pressed against the door, making it painfully obvious to the young woman that sometime in the last sixty seconds, the leg had been broken.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief has the car suddenly came to a stop. It took a full minute for Hermione to realize that Minerva had said nothing. "Minerva?" she said, turning to face the driver's side.

The older woman was slumped against the airbag, unmoving. Hermione could see blood trickling down Minerva's forehead, and her concern suddenly doubled. "Minerva!" she yelled.

Minerva stirred. "Ouch," she moaned.

"Minerva, can you move?" Hermione asked.

"Haven't tried yet," the older woman mumbled. "Hurts."

Hermione unbuckled her seatbelt, wincing as she shifted her leg. "Hold on, let me get over there. Don't try to move just yet."

"We didn't fall far enough," Minerva muttered. "Don't move too quickly, the car could start sliding again."

"Bloody great," Hermione hissed. "We need to get out of this car." The younger woman leaned over carefully and unbuckled her companion. Minerva sat up, slowly, clearly in pain.

"Look out your window, Hermione," she instructed. "See if you can tell just how likely it is that we will fall further if we move too suddenly."

Hermione turned her head the other direction and peered into the darkness. She reached in her bag for her wand. "_Luminos,_" she whispered.

Minerva had been right, the cliff that had been pushed down was a huge drop, and no, they had not reached the bottom yet. Far from it. The car had lodged itself against a tree, balancing precariously, and Hermione knew that any sudden movement would indeed send them crashing further down the ravine. "Don't move, Minerva," Hermione said. "I'm going to try to transfigure some of the landscape into some sort of safety net."

"Can't we just apparate out of here?" Minerva asked.

"We're both far too injured for that. We'd splinch, no doubt," Hermione replied, thinking of years gone by and the splinching incident with Ron while the two of them were on the run with Harry. "As soon as I get us out of the car, I'll spend a Patronus for help."

Thinking of Ron reminded Hermione of the family she'd left home for the weekend. Ron was a good man, a good husband, and a wonderful father to their children. He didn't begrudge her desire to remain active in the academic community; in fact he had encouraged her to go on this very trip. Of course, he had no idea how his wife felt about the woman she was going with…

Desire to get out of this mess was fueled by the reminder of exactly who was here beside her. She grasped her wand tightly, and set at turning small rocks into large boulders, giving the car the support in needed to stay put while the two women got out.

Hermione turned to check on Minerva, to find that the older woman had set to opening the way for them to get out. She'd vanished the entire driver's side of the car so it was only an issue of climbing out…not that climbing out onto a steep hill with their injuries was going to be easy.

"Okay, Minerva, other than your head, are you injured?" Hermione asked. "Can you climb out?"

Minerva said nothing for a moment, flexing various body parts to test them for injury. "I think I'm alright, other than my head," she said finally. "What about you?"

Hermione sighed. "I think my leg is broken, but other than that, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Minerva said suddenly.

"For what?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"For getting into this mess," Minerva explained, as if it was perfectly obvious. "We should have just portkeyed. My stupid love for cars…and I should have realized that truck…"

Hermione cut her off. "Minerva McGonagall, you stop that right now," she snapped. "If I had agreed with your suggestion to stop, we would have been fine. If anyone is at fault, it's me. But I was too afraid…never mind."

"Never mind?" Minerva said. "What are you talking about? Why didn't you want to stop?"

Hermione groaned. She knew Minerva would not drop it, nor would she move from her current spot, until her question was answered. "I was afraid of how I'd deal with staying in a hotel room, alone with you," she whispered.

"Hermione?"

"Thirteen years, a marriage, two children, and so much time away from you…" Hermione's voice trailed off.

"I don't understand," Minerva said.

"None of that has managed to change how I felt…how I feel about you. It started out as a stupid crush…"

"On me?" Minerva squeaked.

"Yes," Hermione sighed. "It began in my third year at Hogwarts…and it did not go away. By graduation, I knew I was in love…with you…but I could never act on it. I left Hogwarts, married Ron…"

"But you love him…" Minerva said weakly.

"I do," Hermione said. "Very much. And I am glad to have Rose and Hugo, but none of that changes what I feel for you."

"So…you're still in love with me?" Minerva asked slowly.

Hermione didn't look at her. "Always."

"I see," Minerva said quietly.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably. "Well now that you've gotten me to say what I swore I'd never say to you, can we get the hell out of this bloody car?"

Minerva sighed. "Yes, but this conversation is not over."

Hermione laughed bitterly. "I didn't imagine it was. Like me, you don't drop something until you fully understand it. But I don't particularly want to fall to my death while you contemplate how to cause me further anguish."

Minerva huffed. "I do not wish to cause you any anguish," she said sharply, starting to crawl out of the car. "I admit that I suspected you had…feelings for me, while at Hogwarts, but when you married Ron, I just dismissed the thought. I am surprised you didn't tell me then; what happened to your Gryffindor bravery?"

Hermione looked at Minerva. "My Gryffindor bravery was spent on the war. I didn't have enough left to face you."

By now, Minerva was out of the car and held out her hand to Hermione to help her out as well. "Did you imagine I'd react badly?"

Hermione took her hand, saying nothing until she was also safely out of the car. "What would have been the point of telling you if I already knew you'd never reciprocate the feeling?"

"That was pretty assumptive of you," Minerva replied. "For all you knew, I might have also felt something."

Hermione knew Minerva was just arguing for the sake of arguing. "But you didn't," she replied, bitterly.

Minerva lay down on the ground. "I did," she whispered.

Hermione's eyes grew wide as saucers. "What?" she breathed.

"You were never just another student to me, Hermione," Minerva admitted. "I never acted on it…it wouldn't have been proper, and Merlin knows if something had come of it, it would have been a scandal, most likely ending my career."

"And now?" Hermione dared to ask.

Minerva sighed. "You are married."

"Damnit Min, just answer the question!" Hermione pleaded.

The older witch looked at her former student tenderly. "Yes, Hermione. Feelings like that don't just go away."

"Sweet Merlin," Hermione breathed. She had no clue what to say beyond that.

"Yet," Minerva said quietly, "mutual feelings don't change that you are married, with children, nor that any relationship between us would destroy both our careers."

"So that's in then?" Hermione said sadly. "We become just another Romeo and Juliet? Two people in love, forbidden to be together, dying a little each day as our hearts are slowly poisoned with want and need?"

"I don't think it will kill us dear," Minerva replied. "It will just hurt, quite a lot, I imagine."

"I can't live like that," the younger replied, flicking her wand and sending her Patronus off for help. "Now that I know it's not just me…it was unbearable enough before. Now…"

"I don't know what to tell you, love." Minerva said sadly. "A relationship between us would be impossible."

"I thought that you returning my feelings was impossible," Hermione countered, leaning over Minerva. "Yet here we are."

"That's true," Minerva replied breathlessly.

Hermione knew that it was now or never. To get the ball rolling or not. To push the boundaries of right and wrong or let things lay. Pain in her leg ignored, the younger woman leaned forward, through caution to the wind, and kissed Minerva.

And Minerva kissed her back.

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**Please review! It means the world to me when you do! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey people! I am very sorry for the delay. My internet connection at home went bye-bye...so I'm limited in how much online time I get. On the plus side, I get more writing done this way. Here is Crash part 2, and in a few seconds I will post the final installment of this little MM/HG fic. Hope you guys like. I'm only getting to check my email about once a week, so I'd really love to see a ton of reviews next time I manage to get online. Hit me with more than ten reviews, and I'll post another update for ya!**

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After the kiss, neither woman said a thing until help arrived. Minerva imagined that Hermione had thought the same as her; that the conversation they were having would escalate and they'd be caught red handed. In was only a few more minutes before Harry Potter and a team of Aurors arrived. Within a few more minutes, the two of them were being side along apparated to Saint Mungo's, and after that, they were separated for treatment.

While both had been released from Saint Mungo's the next day, it was almost a week before, as Minerva figured she would, Hermione arrived at the gates of Hogwarts, demanding to speak to her.

"Hermione," Minerva said quietly, stopping the argument that the younger witch was having with her Deputy about why she was here at this ungodly hour. It was after midnight, in fairness to Filius.

Hermione stopped lecturing the tiny Charms Professor mid-sentence. "Minerva. Can we please find somewhere to talk?" she said crisply.

Minerva nodded. "I'll take it from here, Filius. I was expecting Hermione. We have matters to discuss."

"At nearly one in the morning?" Filius squeaked. "She couldn't have made an appointment with you at a reasonable hour?"

"We are both busy women, my friend," Minerva excused. She knew it wouldn't fool the old Ravenclaw. He'd drill her to high heaven next time they spoke, but that could not be helped. Minerva held out her hand to the younger witch. "Shall we go to my office, Hermione?"

Hermione smiled, and took Minerva's outstretched hand, much to the obvious shock of her Deputy. Minerva knew that like it or not, something _had_ come of their mutual feelings, and even if nothing further did occur, she trusted Filius enough to tell him the truth.

Once they were a few meters away from the Deputy, Hermione spoke. "Do you intend to tell Filius about…us?"

Minerva chuckled. "I couldn't hide it from him if I wanted to firstly, and second of all, I'm not sure what all 'us' entails at this juncture."

"Thus the reason I wanted to talk to you. Ron is home with the children. I told him that I was going to pull an all-nighter at work to catch up on some paperwork I got behind on after the accident."

"You lied to him?" Minerva asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not exactly," Hermione sighed. "I did have things to catch up on. And I did stay late at work to do so. I just didn't have as much to do as I led him to believe.

"So you lied to him," Minerva stated.

"Bloody hell Min!" Hermione groaned. "Until a week ago I'd never lied to Ron, ever. But he asked what we talked about while waiting for help that night, and I sure as hell couldn't tell him the truth!"

"What did you tell him we talked about?" Minerva asked quietly. She understood Hermione's position. She probably would have done the same. But with age comes wisdom, and Minerva knew that each lie after the first was easier to tell, and Hermione was in the process of setting herself up to live a lie – to be okay with an affair. Bigger problem there was that Minerva was not sure she was strong enough to walk away from Hermione if that is indeed what she wanted.

"Transfiguration," Hermione mumbled. "Seemed likely enough of an answer."

By now the pair had reached Minerva's office. Once the door was closed, and Minerva warded the door against intruders or eavesdroppers, she wasted no time breaching the subject. "What do you want, Hermione?" she said frankly.

"You," Hermione said sadly. "I know I shouldn't. I know I should never have come here tonight, I should never have told you how I felt, and I should never have kissed you." She paused.

"But I did, and what's done is done, and I cannot live with myself, knowing you want it too, and not doing anything about it," she finished.

"But can you live with cheating on your husband?" Minerva countered. "Hermione, I hate to be that blunt, but you have not indicated that your feelings for Ron have lessened, which leaves me to conclude you are asking me to enter into an affair. Am I wrong?"

Hermione had the good grace to loose ashamed. "You've already made it clear that a relationship between us could never be public, not while we wanted to keep our jobs, and I don't see a point in leaving Ronald, without so much of an explanation, to get into a relationship that no matter what, would remain a secret. I love him, and I want my children to grow up with both parents, but Merlin be damned I love you too."

Minerva pulled Hermione close. "I wish there was a simple answer to all of this," she said quietly, inhaling the scent of Hermione's hair. "I do understand the position you're in, and I am so sorry that it's come to this…I shouldn't have said anything."

"Blame the concussion," Hermione muttered, holding Minerva tighter.

The Headmistress sighed. "I can't blame the concussion for every day for the last ten years that my heart has been breaking."

Hermione took a step back, and looked Minerva in the eye. "I know you want to," she said quietly, "but at this point,_ can_ you tell me to leave?"

Minerva felt the tears welling up in her eyes, and her heart shuddering with conflicting desires. She knew it was wrong, oh Merlin bloody knew that she knew it was wrong…but something else inside of her knew it was right, as if every day of pain had been leading up to this one moment. "No," she whispered. "I can't."

"Just as I can't simply forget that after thirteen years of having no hope in the world that you could feel what I feel…you kissed me back."

And for the second time, Hermione leaned forward, and she and Minerva kissed.

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Hermione left Hogwarts at about four in the morning. She was surprised when Ron greeted her at the door. "We need to talk, Hermione," he said.

Hermione took a deep breath. "About?"

Ron sighed. "You really are a terrible liar," he replied. "I put a charm on you before you left that allowed me to hear everything that you did…and said, this evening."

"Ron…" Hermione started, fear gripping her lungs tightly.

"Listen, I'm not angry at you for having feelings for her. Especially knowing how long the feelings have been there, buried, and considering that she seems to return your affections," Ron said, holding his hands up to make it clear he wanted his say. "I'm hurt that you've never told me. I understand why you felt that just keeping the truth from me was best, but I wish you'd trusted me enough to be honest."

After a moment's pause, Hermione found the nerve to speak. "What do you want to do?" she asked quietly.

Ron sat down on the couch. "I turned the charm off after you two started snogging, so I've had some time to think about all this. Hermione, I've always just wanted you to be happy. If she makes you happy, then go ahead, be with her. I'm not looking to split up, especially knowing that just because you fancy her, doesn't mean you love me any less. If you want to spend an evening with…Minerva, just say so. I'm not asking for the same privilege, I don't want to be with anyone else. I'm only asking for your honesty, and trust. I don't want to see our marriage go downhill, I want our family to stay together. I think that the best thing to do is exactly what you proposed to Minerva, sans the part where I don't know about it. She said she'd tell Filius, so it's fair that someone in your circle knows, anyhow. Maybe in time, we can also tell Harry and Gin, if you like. Because if this is what you really want, and I want to keep you, then the only real choice is to welcome Minerva into our family."

He shuddered.

"Ron?"

"Sorry, just still getting used to the idea. My mind is made up, I'm not going to flip out on you… I just want you to be happy, okay?"

Hermione let out the breath she had hardly noticed she was holding. "You really love me that much?"

Ron gave her a funny look. "Duh?"

And quite suddenly, the couple burst out laughing. This whole thing was utterly ridiculous. Hermione was sure that her husband was internally screaming bloody murder, but the way he presented himself was the difference between Ron as a boy, and Ron as a man. Fatherhood had matured him very much, though Hermione hadn't realized the significance of that until this very moment.

"You know," Ron said once they'd managed to collect themselves, "I really should have seen this coming. Maybe I did, just not quite enough to actually process the thought."

"Really?" Hermione inquired with a raised eyebrow. "I thought I was hiding it pretty well."

Ron shrugged. "It was the little things. You were nuts about her at Hogwarts. After we left school, you jumped anytime she came up in conversation. Honestly I feel kinda stupid for not seeing it sooner."

"Oh Ron, don't be hard on yourself. It is what it is. The important thing is that we're going to work it out," Hermione said, reaching out for his hand.

"Yea," he said, squeezing her fingers. "I don't know how we're going to explain it to the kids when they get older though," Ron mused.

"That will be an interesting conversation, for sure," Hermione agreed.

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**Ten Years Later:**

Thirteen year old Rose Weasley met her brother, Hugo, on route to the Headmistresses office. It was the end of the first week of term. Rose was now in her third year, and her brother had just started his second. Both Gryffindors had been summoned to the Head's office by Owl, and been told to be prepared for a meeting with their parents and the Headmistress.

"What did you do?" Rose hissed at her brother.

"Nothing!" Hugo snapped. "I could ask you the same."

"Maybe it has something to do with mum being a teacher here this year," Rose mused out loud.

"If that were the case wouldn't we have talked about it a week ago?" Hugo asked. "We've already had classes with her."

"Kids!" a voice behind them called.

"Oh, hey dad," Hugo said. The siblings stopped walking and allowed their father to catch up. "Are we in trouble?"

"No, not at all," Ron assured them. "We just need to have a family chat."

Rose frowned. Every year, for as long as she could remember, the Headmistress had come to their house the day before Christmas to spend part of the holiday with them. She never came to the Burrow, and every year, their parents would remind them not to mention 'Aunt Min's visit' to the rest of the family on Christmas Day. Other than that one day a year, Rose and Hugo had no relationship with the Headmistress outside of school. She was just…Professor McGonagall.

"Why is Professor McGonagall going to be part of this family chat?" Rose inquired, feeling quite peeved about the intrusion.

Ron sighed. "Because she is part of this family, and after this conversation, you will understand why."

Hugo raised his eyebrows. "Is this about why mum shares quarters with the Headmistress?"

Rose came to a dead stop. "What?" She had no idea how her brother knew that their mum was sharing quarters with Professor McGonagall, and for the life of her she could not imagine why they would. "Why?" she asked.

Ron smiled softly at his children and nodded. "It is, Hugo, now come along. Minerva and your mother are expecting us."

To be continued…

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	3. Chapter 3

A short while later, the man and two teens found themselves in the Head's Office.

"Rose, Hugo," their mother said in greeting. "Come in. Hello Ron."

Rose looked at her mother carefully. She seemed…really happy…which was odd. All of her life, Rose thought that her mother often looked sad, or torn. For a while Rose had suspected that her mum had been wishing she had more free time, and didn't have kids to tie her down, though Uncle Harry had set her straight on that one. She remembered as if it was yesterday. _"Rose, kiddo, your mum is a complicated woman. She loves you and your brother very much, and she in no way regrets having you guys. When you're older, your life might get complicated too, and then you'll understand her better." _

Rose suddenly had a sinking feeling that her life was about to become complicated. "What's going on?" she said bluntly.

It was the Headmistress who spoke. "Rose, Hugo, what you are about to learn is a secret that has been kept between myself, your parents, and select few others, for ten years now. It was at my request that you are being told now, so if at the end of this conversation you find the need to be angry at someone, please let that anger be directed toward me."

Rose didn't feel any better after _that_ was said.

"Kids," Hermione said gently. "Your father and I are getting a divorce. We don't hate each other, in fact we love each other, as friends, very much, but my heart belongs to someone else."

"I am not upset that your mum wants to be with this other person, kids," Ron began. "I knew this might happen when I found out about it, ten years ago. I'm happy that your mum is happy, and as much as I care for her, it's time for me to find someone that can make me as happy as this other person makes your mum."

Rose frowned. "So, mum, you've been having an affair since I was three?"

Hugo cocked his head sideways. "It's Professor McGonagall, right?"

Rose gulped. That had been her theory as well, since their dad had kept saying 'person', instead of 'man', but she had not been so bold as to actually say it.

Hermione sighed. "Rose, it was not an affair. An affair means that your father did not know about it, and as we've already explained, he has known since the beginning."

"But it is…Aunt Minerva?" Rose squeaked, daring to look at her mother.

Rose felt her stomach flip as the Headmistress took hold of her mother's hand, and her mother smiled.

"Yes, the person in my life is Minerva."

"Bloody awesome!" Hugo suddenly whooped. He then flinched and looked at his father. "Uh, sorry dad."

Ron smiled. "It's okay, son."

Rose was still staring blankly at her mother, images of her mother kissing the Headmistress floating through her mind.

"Rose?" Hermione said, concern in her voice.

"I'm just going to need some time to adjust," she said. "I'm rather…shocked. And confused. And…ew…gross. Sorry mum, and whatever makes you happy…but…ew."

"Ew?" Professor McGonagall said, eyebrow raised.

Rose put her hands on her hips. "I meant the fact that my mum likes kissing other girls, Professor. I know I'm a Gryffindor, but honestly, do you think I'd be stupid enough to insinuate you were unattractive while you were in earshot?"

The Headmistress laughed. "I understand Rose," she said. "I realize that this may not be easy for you and your brother to accept."

"I accept it!" Hugo piped in. "Am I right in assuming that we are just the latest additions to the circle of people who already know? And that we cannot go about telling others about all this?"

Rose huffed. "When are your assumptions ever wrong?" she asked her brother. "You should have been in Ravenclaw."

"So should your mother have," Ron agreed.

"That's right, Hugo." Hermione replied. "Other than those of us in this room, Professor Flitwick is aware of the situation, as are your Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. Hagrid has also been told recently. I know that you two are close to him, much like me, your dad, and your Uncle Harry were when we were your age. I thought you might like someone at Hogwarts you were close to that you could talk about this with."

Hugo's eyes sparkled. "How did Hagrid take it?"

All three adults laughed. "It was comical," Professor McGonagall answered. "He was rather shocked, but after he'd regained his composure he spent the next half hour making sure that we, your mother and I, had his approval."

Ron grinned. "He wanted to see them snog."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he did," she said crisply.

"Do you kids have any questions?" Hermione inquired, looking at her son and daughter.

Rose did. "So will this be a secret forever, or will you guys be able to come out, eventually?"

"Is it true you plan to retire next year?" Hugo piped in.

"Is there anything you _don't know_ about what goes on around here?" Hermione blurted, looking at her son incredulously.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Hugo replied with a smirk.

"In answer to your question, Rose," Hermione answered, shaking her head, "next year Minerva will be retiring. I will continue teaching, but at that time, we will tell the rest of the family. We will still not go out announcing it, but if you want to tell your friends at that point, you may. Professor Flitwick will be taking over as Headmaster at that point, so if any of the students gives you a hard time for any reason, you can go to him."

"Or you," Hugo added. "You'll still be here."

"I will still be here, but you will not have me in class. I will stop teaching Potions and take over Arithmacy, which you cannot take until after your OWLS, and even then it is an elective," Hermione corrected. "I will be living at McGonagall Manor with Minerva, not here at Hogwarts. I'll just come in to teach a couple days a week. I'll make sure you have my schedule so if you want to have lunch with me one week, I can make myself available to you."

"Okay," Rose said. "I approve."

"Approve?" Hermione inquired.

"Of you and Aunt Minerva," she clarified. "I've had time to digest, and I'm okay with it."

"You digest quickly," Hugo teased, a wink telling Rose that he was referring to her eating habits as well as her emotional processing.

"Yea well, you're a little sneak!" Rose countered. "How many sets of extendable ears to you have laying around the school? Don't you have one in the staff room?"

"Hugo!" Hermione chastised.

"Tattle taler," the twelve year old said, elbowing Rose.

"_Accio extendable ears!_" Hermione said clearly, with a swish of her wand.

Nothing happened.

Hugo got a smug look on his face. "They all have sticking charms on them. You'll have to actually find them," he said with a grin. "Not that those are my only way of getting information. In fact, mum, when exactly were you going to tell us that you brewed Polyjuice Potion in your second year?"

"Or that you had a time turner in your third year?" Rose added.

Her brother looked at her in disbelief. "Really?"

"Hey, you're not the only Weasley in this room!" she said.

In their argument, the kids had failed to notice their father quietly making an exit, nor did they notice that their mum and the Headmistress had sat down on the couch and were cuddling together, watching the kids go at it. Back and forth, Rose and Hugo cited various bits of trouble their parents and Uncle Harry had gotten into while at Hogwarts. They had made their way through the years, up to their mum's date with Viktor Krum at the Tri Wizard Ball, when Minerva spoke up.

"That was the day I realized I was falling in love with your mother," she said quietly.

Both kids stopped talking.

"And when did you realized you fancied Aunt Minerva?" Rose inquired, curiosity piqued.

Hermione smiled, remembering the years gone by. "I was in my third year, your age."

Rose looked stunned for a moment. She knew that sometimes people fell in love when they were young, Gramma and Grandpa Weasley were like that, but at her age? Was there someone out there right now who fancied her? Would she wake up tomorrow and realize that she was head over heels for someone she already knew?

Rose sighed. Yup, her life was about to get complicated. In fact, she thought, she'd better go Owl Uncle Harry and warn him.

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**Review! Hope you guys liked this one!**


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